CERT - Looking for Volunteers

The NYC Office of Emergency Management is currently seeking motivated individuals to start up the Staten Island Community Board 2 Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). The CERT program, run by OEM, is part of a national initiative to prepare individuals on a community level to better respond to emergency situations. The CERT members are trained in various methods of disaster response, including light search and rescue, disaster medical operations, fire safety, and terrorism awareness. After the 11-week training concludes, the CERTs are tasked with not only responding to events but also getting out into their community and teaching their neighbors about the different ways they can prepare at home for any sort of disaster that they may face.

Training is free. It consists of 11 sessions once a week, each lasting roughly three hours long. The location for the training is always within the boundaries of the community board in which the team exists. As of right now, Staten Island Community Board 2 does not have a CERT, and as part of OEM’s mission to ensure optimal response across all five boroughs it is a priority to establish a SI 2 CERT. Training is set to begin on Wednesday, March 11 2009.

Interested individuals can give us a call on the CERT hotline at (718) 422 – 8585 or send an e-mail to cert@oem.nyc.gov. This is a great, cost-free way to give back to your community by helping yourself and your neighbors prepare for an emergency. Don’t hesitate to get prepared!